Warmington commits to fixing St Bess’ roadways

WESTERN BUREAU:

Everald Warmington, the minister without portfolio with responsibility for works in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, says a big effort will be made to ease the plight of farmers by rehabilitating the damaged road network in Joint Hill and Ginger Hill road networks in St Elizabeth North Western.

Warmington toured the area, which was hit hard by recent flood rains, on Wednesday and told the residents that the National Works Agency (NWA) had been tasked with preparing estimates for the rehabilitation of the roads, some of which have been reduced to single-lane traffic while others remain impassable.

FULL ASSESSMENT BEFORE WORK START

Quizzed as to when the rehabilitation work is likely to start, Warmington said a schedule could not be provided until a full assessment was done as some areas have been affected by landslides, which have rendered some roadways impassable.

“We can’t schedule (the rehabilitation) just yet because we have to first determine what we are going to do,” said Warmington, who also toured sections of neighbouring St James.

According to Warmington, he expects that the work on the roads will start as soon as the estimates are provided and the required funding has been identified. He said the NWA is revisiting a previous estimate for both the Ginger Hill and the Joint Hill road, which is critical in determining a time for the work. He said he is anticipating that works can commence either before the end of the current financial year or during the first part of the 2021 to 2022 budget cycle.

“We will try our best to see what we can do to relieve the citizens in the different communities,” said Warmington, who noted that based on the scope of work, the project could carry a heavy price tag.

In relation to the Ginger Hill to Washfoot Gully road, Warmington said that based on the very bad state that it was in, a special effort would be made to have it dealt with before the end of the current financial year, which will end on March 31, 2021.

“The road across there is deplorable. It’s really gone and needs a lot of rehab, and there is an estimate in hand to do some work. If it’s not a heavy cost, we can start it early. If it is a heavy cost, we have to do it in the next financial year,” said Warmington.

Meanwhile, J.C. Hutchinson, the member of parliament for St Elizabeth North West, in calling for speedy action to address the Joint Hill main road, said it is posing a serious threat to the lives of both motorists and commuters.

“We have found that there are a lot of slippages along this road. There are about three of them. Not so long ago, a car ran over the gully, so I have asked Minister Warmington to come and see the problems we are having here,” said Hutchinson.

In regards to the Ginger Hill to Washfoot gully road, Hutchinson said it is the shortest and main thoroughfare for pineapple farmers to get their produce to the various markets in St James.

“We have many persons with pickup vans from St James coming to get pineapples here, and they have been having a hard time getting through that road,” said Hutchinson.